Metro Roundup: New development coming behind Mark’s Outdoor Sports

Nine homes will be coming to the end of Vestavia Forest Drive as part of a development by RW Development, led by John Mark Rives and Eric Wade.

The 7.5-acre development was split into nine lots, with Rives saying the goal was not to fit as many homes as possible in the secluded area, but to make the homes and subdivision environmentally friendly.

Each home is on about two-thirds of an acre on average, Rives said, with prices averaging $1 million.

The company won’t be doing any curb and gutter work but will instead build bioswales, which capture stormwater runoff. Instead of adding pipes through an Army Corps of Engineers creek that runs through the area, Rives said they chose to highlight it and build a bridge around it in order to preserve it.

 The homes will sit up on the land, allowing for basement construction for all nine homes, and a community area built in the bend of the creek will include a fire pit and sitting area, allowing residents to visit with one another. The land has huge hardwood trees that the team is either leaving in place or reutilizing the wood in the homes themselves via the floors, shiplap, countertops and more, Rives said.

There will be large backyards for a more private area, Rives said.

The new subdivision will also include Birmingham Home and Garden’s 2023 Inspiration Home of the Year, which will showcase high-end finishes and work from architects and designers around the region, Rives said. After the home is staged for the magazine next year, it will be available for sale.

As of press time, three homes built to specifications were available, along with two custom lots and, next year, the inspiration home. The spec homes will be listed later this year, while the building of a custom home is about a one-year process, Rives said.

For more information on the development, visit forestcreekvestavia.com.